Nausicaa was very similar to Princess Mononoke ,in that they both had a heroine who was at one with nature, and understood it unlike everybody else. In Princess Mononoke this was San, and in Nausicaa, it was the main character, Nausicaa. San’s objective was to save the forest from Lady Eboshi, because she was destroying the forest in order to expand her iron city. She understands nature unlike anybody else could, and considered herself to be a wolf. Nausicaa was a heroine who would communicate with nature, much like San. Her people did not understand nature, and feared it, and others saw it as an enemy and tried to destroy it. Nausicaa was the only person able to understand nature and thus, was able to save her people and create peace between the humans and nature.
 |
| Image from Disney Kingdom Reloaded |
There was a difference between the two characters San, and Nausicaa however, and that was their motivations. San was a person motivated by hate and anger. She had been abandoned as a child and this caused her to grow hatred towards humans and is why she lives in the forest among the wolves. Nausicaa’s motivation to save nature was brought upon by a totally different reason than San’s. Nausicaa’s father was dying because he was poisoned by the forest, but she wasn’t going to give up and tried to become one with nature in order to find a cure. Both characters were motivated by very different things, but they were doing it for the same reasons that heroines in Japanese anime have. Where both of them had different motivations, one with hate, and one with love, they both still did what they did in order to save the things that they care for.
Both films also show that there are many ecological issues in the world today. In both films, nature is threatened and is in danger of being destroyed by humans and technology. It brings up the question as to what is going to happen to our world in the future. We are constantly removing more and more nature in order to expand and advance, and it is affecting us in negative ways. These ways include global warming, earthquakes, tornadoes, and more.
Princess Mononoke and Nausicaa were two movies that showed the importance of finding a good balance between technology and nature. When we continue to destroy forests and natural resources, it is slowly destroying the earth. Few people understand that, but both San and Nausicaa do, and show how much they care when they try to save it in the movies.
John, nice job. I agree with you on pretty much everything you wrote. I would like to say that it is a big issue that we are facing today, just as you said, but as time progresses, humans might realize the importance and stop or at least decrease all the harm we do to nature. I agree with the the finding a balance between nature and technology. It is a big issue but considering we need supplies, we'll have to continuously take from the earth, hopefully we figure out a way to give back....soon. About Nausicaa, you mentioned she isn't as fueled by hatred and anger, but there was that time when she witnessed her father murdered. At that point, I'd say she was pretty motivated by anger, so motivated she killed guards and stabbed lord yumo. Anyways, great job all together, you made some interesting points. After all this time, you still have not mentioned whether you liked the films or not but maybe one day you will discuss your personal opinion.
ReplyDeleteI definitely like your comparison of the two characters San and Nausicaa. I also agree that their motivations were opposite in character.I feel as though in princess Mononoke's case, becuase technology seemed to be more of a threat to nature and humans seemed much more against living in harmony with nature, the heroines resistance was much more violent and fueled by hatred. Unlike Nausicaa who's people were more harmonious with the nature around them, in fact, they relied on the wind for their town to function. I also find that the Female antagonist of Nausicaa had a bone to pick with nature. She waned to destroy nature because it had taken away parts of her body. While Lady Eboshi had really now grudges against nature, it was only in her way. This is another comparison that really shows how the motivations have changed between the two films.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jon for sharing your thoughts!
Amanda